Hackett shops used to have a post office, a Shell service station, a pharmacy, a butcher and a bakery. Today, it features a bike store, florist, skin clinic, exercise centre, hairdresser, Thai restaurant and osteopath. In December 1962, a four bedroom Hackett home cost just £6250. Since that era, Hackett has more dwellings, but fewer residents – 2,991 in 2016, compared with 4,384 in 1971. It’s said that understanding yourself starts with knowing your history and local geography. Thanks to a new history of Hackett, local residents can get a better insight into both. Produced by the Hackett Community Association, we launched the book at Hackett’s recent birthday celebrations on October 27. Many former residents came along, including those who had attended the former Hackett Primary School. The Hackett history contains the stories of local residents such as Steve, Arthur and Andrew Savoulidis, who helped revitalise the shops, and the late Hackett ‘mayor’ James Walker. Plus there’s plenty of general Canberra tales: from photos of the 1965 snowfall, to fabulous old Canberra Times advertisements and anecdotes. If you’d like to renew your Hackett connection, you can get a copy of the book through the Hackett Community Association website. Just go to www.hackettcommunity.com.au and click on ‘projects’.